Solons push probe into Philippines schistosomiasis fight

Over a century since the parasite was discovered in the Philippines, schistosomiasis continues to ravage rural communities, now affecting at least 28 provinces and hitting farmers, who are among the most vulnerable to infection.

Despite government efforts to contain its spread, an estimated 12.4 million Filipinos live in endemic communities at risk of exposure to schistosomes, with 2.7 million directly exposed to contaminated water.

Now, two congressmen from Eastern Samar are calling for a congressional inquiry into the effectiveness of the government's campaign against schistosomiasis.

House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan and Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales jointly filed a resolution urging the House Committee on Health to investigate, in aid of legislation, the implementation and effectiveness of the Department of Health's Schistosomiasis Control and Elimination Program (SCEP).

House Resolution No. 1059 noted that schistosomiasis remains a serious public health concern in at least 28 provinces, particularly in rural and agricultural areas in the Visayas and Mindanao, including parts of Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Northern Mindanao.

"Schistosomiasis is one of those diseases that has remained neglected largely because it disproportionately strikes the poorest and most vulnerable Filipinos — subsistence farmers, fisherfolk and their children," Libanan said in a statement.

"For many families living in endemic areas, exposure to infested freshwater is an unavoidable part of daily life and livelihood. Yet despite years of government interventions, the disease continues to persist in many communities," he added.

Among the first cases of schistosomiasis in the country were recorded in 1906 by American physician Paul Wooley, who identified the disease among inmates at the New Bilibid Prisons and patients at the Philippine General Hospital. The patients were all found to have originated from Leyte.

The disease is caused by the parasite Schistosoma japonicum, which is transmitted through contact with freshwater contaminated by infected snails. It can lead to chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea, liver enlargement, anemia, stunted growth in children, reduced physical capacity and, in severe cases, irreversible organ damage.

Libanan stressed the need to determine why transmission continues despite long-running government control efforts.

"We have to identify the policy and implementation gaps that allow this preventable disease to persist. Every year that schistosomiasis remains endemic, it exacts a heavy toll on the health, productivity and economic well-being of affected families," Libanan said.

The DOH's Schistosomiasis Control and Elimination Program employs a multi-pronged strategy that includes annual mass drug administration, snail control measures, water and sanitation initiatives, disease surveillance and public health education campaigns.

However, Libanan pointed out that continuing transmission in endemic communities suggests persistent challenges involving program coverage, treatment compliance, environmental control measures and coordination among government agencies.

The resolution also highlights the unique difficulty of eliminating schistosomiasis because the parasite infects not only humans but also animals such as carabaos, cattle and dogs, which can serve as reservoirs that sustain transmission.

Libanan said the congressional inquiry would help determine whether more aggressive and better-funded interventions are needed to finally eradicate the disease.

"We need to find out what is working, what is not working, and what additional measures are necessary to finally break the cycle of infection. No Filipino family should continue suffering from a disease that is both preventable and treatable," he said.

Under the resolution, the House Committee on Health is urged to consider recommendations that may include enhanced funding, intensified mass drug administration campaigns, stronger interagency collaboration, improved water and sanitation infrastructure, expanded veterinary interventions targeting animal reservoirs and sustained community education programs.

"The continued presence of schistosomiasis is not only a public health issue; it is also a rural development and anti-poverty issue. The government must ensure that vulnerable communities are no longer left behind in the fight against this debilitating disease," Libanan said.